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Latest updates

  • Monday, 5 Febuary 2024

    Happy Lunar New Year of the Dragon!

    In the Chinese culture, the Dragon is the symbol of being lucky, propitious, powerful, and benevolent. On behalf of the Institute and Faculty of Actuaries (IFoA), we would like to take this opportunity to wish you and your family a healthy, peaceful, and prosperous year of the Dragon, with plenty of joy and good luck. 

    Very best wishes from Kalpana Shah, President and Ben Kemp, Interim Chief Executive Officer

  • Monday, 18 December 2023

    The Institute and Faculty of Actuaries (IFoA) Greater China Team is pleased to host a technical member event which will be live streamed in Shanghai on 18 January 2024 evening with the theme ‘The Latest Trends and Topics in China Insurance Market – Sharing and Discussion’. We’re honoured to have Ms. Flora Shao, Regional Chief Actuary, Gen Re Life/Health China & Hong Kong SAR and Mr. Haifei Chen, Regional General Manager, Gen Re Asia as our speakers of the event. They will deliver presentation on ‘Long Term Care and Its Pilot Solutions in China’ respectively’ and ‘The Impact of the Low Interest Environment – Experiences from Overseas Markets’. Guest speakers and floor members will be invited to exchange their views on how insurers would deploy countermeasures against the challenges from long-term low interest rate environment and seize the opportunity for commercialization expansion of elderly healthcare in China.The event will be free of charge for all IFoA members. Registration for onsite attendance is now open till COP 15 January 2024. Limited space is available on a first-come-first-served basis. 

  • Thursday, 7 April 2022

    Over the years, the Institute and Faculty of Actuaries (IFoA) has committed to advancing the actuarial profession in Greater China and the Asia Pacific region, seeking to develop a community of qualified actuaries and actuarial talent for the future, interlinking them to a global network of international members and resources.

    To further strengthen our commitment to the region, the IFoA welcomes Mark Chau, Regional General Manager, Asia Pacific.  Mark will lead the IFoA’s engagements in Asia Pacific and have responsibilities for our offices in the region.

    IFoA is excited by the plans we have for the Asia Pacific and is pleased to share that we will be investing in additional headcount to grow the team in China. This will enable us to support our growing membership and enhance our engagements with stakeholders in the region.

    The IFoA Beijing Representative Office continues to provide localised support for our existing and prospective members and stakeholders in Greater China. 

    Prior to joining the IFoA, Mark Chau has worked at CPA Australia, a global accounting body, for 11 years.  His recent position as Regional General Manager – International, Business Development saw him lead international teams overseeing member engagement and growth in international markets covering Asia Pacific, Sub-Saharan Africa and the Middle East.

    Contact

    Ms Jing Zhang, Markets Support Specialist, Greater China

    The IFoA Beijing Representative Office

    Tel: + 86(10) 6535 0248

    Email: China@actuaries.org.uk

  • Thursday, 27 January 2022

    The IFoA has just launched our new Diversity, Equity and Inclusion strategy. As you can appreciate this is an exciting step forward for us.

    As we begin to implement the strategy, it will be important that we work in partnership with key actuarial employers and stakeholders to make the profession a more inclusive place.

    In addition, we know many of our employers are already leading in this area, so we would welcome the opportunity to listen and learn about different approaches to creating a diverse and inclusive profession. If you would like a wider discussion about our new DEI strategy and how we could work with your company, please let us know. 

  • Wednesday, 23 June 2021

    Dr Patrick Sun Cheong Poon, lead sponsor of the IFoA's 2021 Thought Leadership Programme, will be discussing his motivation for supporting the new events programme with Immediate Past President Tan Suee Chieh. The IFoA's Thought Leadership Programme seeks to reposition the IFoA at the centre of key societal debates, providing a forum and voice for actuaries to address the social and strategic issues confronting the profession. 

    Dr Poon will share his views on the value of thought leadership and why the IFoA’s Thought Leadership Programme is so important for the future development of the profession. Dr Poon is also a generous supporter of the IFoA Foundation, the independent charitable arm of the IFoA, which aims to establish a fund in Greater China and South-East Asia to provide bursaries for actuarial students at eligible IFoA-accredited universities. Dr Poon will reflect on what he aims to deliver through his philanthropic partnership with the IFoA so that the Foundation can achieve its goal of ‘Actuaries supporting others’. He will be joined by Kartina Tahir-Thomson, IFoA Foundation Chair.

    The webinar will be held on Monday 28 June at 08:00 - 09:00 (BST) and the registration is free for members and non-members. 

  • Thursday, 10 June, 2021

    We have made it through 2020 but the COVID-19 crisis continues to have a significant impact on individuals, societies, businesses and the wider economy across the globe. Navigating the world post COVID-19 in an uncertain and highly unstable time brings along many uncertainties, challenges and exciting opportunities. Hence the theme of this year’s IFoA Asia Conference Webinar Series is “Risk. Adapt. Thrive.”

    Join a prestigious line-up of intellectual thought leaders, senior industry players, opinion formers, academics and actuaries from across Asia and beyond at this landmark event from 26-30 July. A series of webinars across fields such as life and general insurance, health and care, banking and investment, data analytics, risk management, climate change, sustainability and many more awaits. This will be the perfect opportunity for you to discover, ask questions and be at the forefront of current and developing actuarial topics and trends in Asia.

  • Thursday, 18 March, 2021

    We have made it through 2020 but the COVID-19 crisis continues to have a significant impact on individuals, societies, businesses and the wider economy across the globe. Navigating the world post COVID-19 in an uncertain and highly unstable time brings along many uncertainties, challenges and exciting opportunities. Hence the theme of this year's IFoA Asia Conference Webinar Series is “Risk. Adapt. Thrive.”and will be held from 26 - 30 July 2021.

    Please submit your abstract here. All submissions must be made by 23 April 2021.

  • Thursday, 11 March, 2021

    The Institute and Faculty of Actuaries is delighted to announce that Matt Saker has been confirmed as the next President-Elect.

    Matt will assume this role in June 2021, as Dr Louise Pryor becomes President. Matt will serve as IFoA President from June 2022.

    Matt has 30 years’ experience working as an actuary in the life and general insurance industry.

    After an 18 year career working as a consultant, Matt joined Aviva in 2009 and currently holds the role of Group Chief Actuary, with responsibility for all aspects of the Group’s actuarial methodology in respect of both Life and General Insurance.

    Matt is currently leading the development of data science within his actuarial team and the embedding of climate risk within Aviva’s Risk management Framework.

    Matt plays an active role in the UK actuarial profession and was elected onto Council in 2016, before joining the Regulation Board in 2018. More recently Matt has been closely involved in the profession’s response to climate change.

  • Monday, 8 March 2021

    Business leader and philanthropist Dr Patrick Sun Cheong Poon has donated £500,000 to support actuarial students in China and South East Asia and sponsor our forthcoming programme of actuarial thought leadership.

    The IFoA would like to offer its profound thanks to Dr Poon for his substantial donation to these causes.

    As a result of Dr Poon’s generosity, the IFoA foundation will be setting up a £500,000 China and South East Asia scholarship fund to provide bursaries for actuarial students in the region, as well as enabling the IFoA’s inaugural Thought Leadership programme and the Presidential Speaker Series to achieve a wider reach.

    This new IFoA Thought Leadership programme seeks to re-position the IFoA at the centre of key societal debates, providing a forum and voice for actuaries in addressing the pressing social issues of our time and the strategic issues which confront the IFoA and the profession.

    This is in keeping with the IFoA’s strategy and its vision for actuaries to deploy their unique skills, expertise and influence in new and wider areas.

    Thanks to the support of Dr Poon, we can promote this vision in a more impactful way and help make it a reality.

    Find out more about the IFoA Foundation and our forthcoming Thought Leadership programme.